First Impressions: An Assumptions Outtake
by Discordia81
Summary: Edward Cullen's an amateur musician playing in a dive bar. Jasper Whitlock is a man drowning his sorrows in Heineken. When Edward charms a reluctant Jasper into coming home with him, they both find themselves learning a few new moves. Rated M for language and lemons. Slash. My contribution to the fundraiser for Hurricane Sandy compilation.


**Notes:** This was my contribution to the fundraiser for Hurricane Sandy compilation. I've been so eager to post it for you guys!

This story is an outtake from the one-shot, "Assumptions". "Assumptions" was an Edward/Bella/Jasper poly story. This is a flashback to when Edward and Jasper first met. You don't need to have read "Assumptions" to read this story.

**Disclaimer:** All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta'd by the lovely Karenec, the queen of all things slash.

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**First Impressions: An Assumptions Outtake**

Edward's Set List:

"Heart of Gold" by Neil Young

"Killing Me Softly" by Roberta Flak

"Someone Like You" by Van Morrison

"I Put a Spell On You" by CCR

"Sweet Jane" by Velvet Underground

"A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum

"I'm On Fire" by Bruce Springsteen

Strumming my guitar softly, I glanced over at the man who had just taken a seat at a table near the stage. I watched him as I tuned the Gibson 6-string; it was so automatic by now I could nearly do it in my sleep. As it was, my attention was more on the man at the table than getting the pitch just right.

I couldn't say exactly why I was so struck by the sight of him, but I couldn't seem to look away. He was slouched in his seat, and he'd already polished off a bottle of beer and was quickly working his way through a second. His slumped posture, glowering expression, and pained eyes told me he was an unhappy man. Despite that, he was handsome, with shaggy blond hair drawn back at the nape of his neck and an attractive face. His lower lip was full, and his body long and lean. He was dressed in a well-worn pair of jeans, boots, and a black, long-sleeve t-shirt that fit his body snugly. He downed the rest of his second beer and I watched his throat work as he swallowed. His Adam's apple bobbed and for a moment, I could picture him swallowing me like that, taking my cock down until his lips were pressed right up to the base.

I shifted on the stool, feeling my dick begin to press against the fly of my jeans. The man signaled for another beer and his interaction with the waiter was cool and distant, despite the waiter's attempt to flirt with him. I couldn't decide if that was a good thing for me, or bad. If I hadn't been set to play soon, I would have already been at his table. I wasn't sure how far I'd get; he hardly looked like he was eager for company. Hell, for all I knew, maybe he was straight. But he was attractive enough that it was worth a shot. And it had been an awfully long time since I'd met someone I thought was worth trying to get to go home with me.

Done tuning, I half-listened to the bar manager announce that the show was about to begin, and looked out to the front of the crowd. It was a dive bar, and the seats were only half-full. I was a no-name singer and guitar player who picked up random shows. I wasn't trying to make a career of it, but I loved playing and the occasional gigs were enough to satisfy my need to perform.

It wasn't until I spoke, that the man I'd had my eye on finally looked at me. I adjusted the mic on the stand before speaking quietly. "I'm Edward Cullen, and my first song of the night is going to be _"Heart of Gold"_ by Neil Young."

The man sat back in his chair, and his stiff posture relaxed as I played. He glanced at me throughout my set, and more often than not, our eyes met. He really seemed to like the late 1960s early 70s songs I covered, and as I transitioned between _"I Put a Spell on You"_ to _"Sweet Jane"_ he leaned forward in his seat, watching me more intently. Something passed between us, some connection, and it made me determined to talk to him after I was done performing.

My final song was by Bruce Springsteen and I made sure to look right at the blond-haired man when I crooned the final lines, "Only you can cool my desire. Oh, oh, I'm on fire."

He had downed half a dozen bottles of beer during the course of my set and I hoped he could handle it, because I really didn't want to take home a guy too drunk to do me any good. I stowed my guitar in its case, stashed it out of the way backstage, and walked out into the front of the bar.

A band was setting up as I walked over to the table of the man I'd had my eye on all night. I raised an eyebrow at him when I reached for the chair back and he nodded once, slowly, his eyes never leaving mine.

I slid into the chair and held out my hand. "Edward Cullen."

He chuckled but didn't reach over to shake. "I figured that out. Good show, man."

His speech was low and slow, with a seductive hint of a Southern drawl that really had me eager to hear him whisper dirty, dirty things in my ear as he fucked me from behind.

"Thanks." I motioned for the waiter and ordered a beer for myself. I offered to buy one for the man at the table with me, but he shook his head no.

"I'll take water though," he requested.

"I'm glad you liked the set," I said, once the waiter was gone.

"I did. You've got a great voice." His posture was still a little wary and his expression was neutral.

Determined to win him over, I continued. "I didn't catch your name."

He raised a single eyebrow at me and gave me a crooked smirk. "Didn't give it, but you knew that. It's Jasper. Jasper Whitlock."

"Very nice to meet you, Jasper." I held out my hand again, and this time he took it, his fingers cool and damp from the bottle of beer, the back of his hand warm. His handshake was firm and his skin felt good against mine. It seemed like we were both a little reluctant to let go and I pressed on.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"About your show? Sure. I liked the Van Morrison song you did. One of the best covers I've heard of "_Someone Like You_"."

I shook my head and leaned back in my seat, only half-aware of the waiter bringing my beer and Jasper's water. "Thanks. But I meant why you're morose and drowning your sorrows in umpteen bottles of Heineken tonight."

He raised the eyebrow again. "You sure don't mince words."

"Do you want me to?" I asked, amused.

He shrugged. "I don't particularly need to spill my guts to a stranger tonight. If I had, I would have sat at the bar and unloaded on the bartender."

"Come on," I coaxed. "Just tell me."

"Fine. I was dating a total dick and I ended things."

"Shouldn't you be celebrating?"

He cracked a smile. "I wasted almost a year of my life on a complete asshole. That's what I'm upset about."

"I'm sorry," I said honestly. "But at least you ended it."

"There is that."

"So did you just come to this bar to drink away your troubles, or were you looking for something else?"

He shrugged. "Mostly the drinks, although I was glad to see they had some music tonight. I was surprised to hear you sing. You're better than I expected."

I gave him an amused grin. "Thanks, I think."

"Naw, you know how it is. Half of the people who play in places like this can't carry a tune to save their life."

"True," I agreed, taking another drink of my beer.

"You do this for a living?" he asked.

"Nope. Own a music shop actually, over on First Street."

"Huh, you live here? I figured you were from out of town or something," he said.

"Yeah, grew up here. You?"

Jasper shrugged. "Moved here in high school. My family is originally from down South."

"So I gathered from the accent."

He chuckled and drained his water. "There's no hidin' that, I suppose."

"I wouldn't want you to," I said flirtatiously. "In fact, I can think of few things I'd really like to hear you say."

He quirked the eyebrow at me again. "What are they?"

"Words definitely not suited for polite company."

He glanced around and shook his head. "I wouldn't call the crowd here at this bar polite company."

It was a place that skirted the edges of being a dive bar. The crowd wasn't too rough, but it wasn't a gay bar either. Not unfriendly, but not exactly friendly either.

I shrugged. "Well, definitely not the kind of crowd who wants to hear two men talking dirty to each other, either."

Jasper smirked. "Where did you have in mind?"

"My place. How about you come home with me and let me see if I can make you forget all about whoever the asshole was."

"I'm not sure I'd be very good company tonight."

"Let me be the judge of that."

"You're persistent, aren't you?" he asked wryly.

I gave him my most charming grin. "I try."

He stood abruptly and nodded toward the door. "What the hell, why not?"

I stood, too, but a bit more slowly, noticing that we were close in height although his shoulders were broader and our proportions were different.

"Now if that isn't the least enthusiastic response to asking someone to come home with me I've ever gotten, I don't know what is."

Jasper grimaced. "Sorry, I'm rusty at this. I don't remember all of the dance steps."

I shrugged and grinned at him. "I'm pretty good at dancing, I'll be happy to show you all of them you've forgotten. And maybe a few you've never tried."

He stepped closer to me, his expression lightening. "You think you can teach me something new, huh?"

"Maybe. Even if I can't, it'll be fun trying," I said huskily, sliding a hand onto his hip, curling my fingers around him to tug him a little closer to me.

The corners of his lips curled up in a grin, and his eyes lit up. "You have that right."

Up close, I could smell him; the subtle allure of his cologne making me want to bury my mouth right up against his neck and twist my fingers into his hair. I settled for dipping my fingers beneath the waistband of his low-slung jeans and letting my hip graze the front of them. He was partially hard and I leaned in to brush my lips lightly across his. I heard his stuttered breath and suppressed a grin at his reaction to me as I let go of him.

"Let me get my guitar, and we can head out."

Jasper nodded, something a little dazed and surprised in his eyes, and turned to the bar as I hurried backstage. Clearly, he was attracted to me, but I was still half-afraid that when I returned he'd be gone. Instead, he was leaning against the bar, elbows planted firmly on the scarred top, and a booted foot drawn up on the rung. The way he was standing stretched the material of his shirt across his pecs and I had the urge to press my palms to them, to feel the hard planes of his muscles.

I sauntered over to him, letting my walk become a looser-hipped swagger. "You ready?"

"Mhhhmm." One corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk. "I think I am."

We went through the usual talk of assessing each other's sexual health as we walked out into the parking lot. It saved us an awkward conversation in bed later, and I was fully stocked on condoms and lube; nothing killed the mood like running out mid-fuck.

I gave him my address and he followed me to my place. It was nothing special, just a decent apartment I'd lived in for about a year. Still, I didn't have to deal with the bullshit of roommates, so it was nice not to have to worry about that on the rare occasion I took someone home. I pulled into my spot as Jasper parked a ways down the street, and he followed me into the building, up the stairs and then into my place. I heard the door click shut as I walked into the living room, tossing my keys and wallet onto the coffee table in a habit so ingrained I didn't think twice.

I turned to Jasper. "Want a beer?"

He shook his head and stalked toward me, something predatory in his walk and gaze that made my stomach tighten and my cock twitch. He didn't stop until he was pressed right up against me, one hand on my back and the other cradling the back of my head. His lips were soft but eager and I closed my eyes, glad to see he had lost whatever reluctance he'd been feeling before.

He didn't hesitate to slide his tongue into my mouth, tasting faintly of beer and the cigarette I'd noticed him smoking on the way over to my place. My hand tangled in his hair, deepening the kiss. I wrapped a hand around his hip as I had earlier, the perfect place to rest it as I tugged him against me. He was all hard, long lines, taut muscle, and easy grace, and I was dying to learn the way he'd move against me. Top or bottom, I didn't really care, I just wanted to get him in my bed.

The kiss was hot and deep, and Jasper made a low, throaty sound when our hips met and cocks brushed through the layers of fabric between us. I kept our lips connected as I moved my hands up under his shirt, his skin hot and smooth under my palms. Skimming the shirt up over his chest, I grazed his nipple with the side of my hand, making his hips buck against mine. I let out a strangled gasp of pleasure at the feeling and tore my lips from his so I could pull the shirt over his shoulders and head. He raised his arms to help, his eyes glittering hungrily as his hands reached for the flannel I was wearing. I shrugged it off, and felt his fingers at the waistband of my t-shirt, both of us working together to get it over my head so it could join our other clothes on the floor.

The moment it was off, our lips were on each other again, eager and rough. This time the kiss was harder, more frantic. I backed up toward the couch until it hit the backs of my knees and fell onto it, one finger in the waistband of Jasper's jeans, tugging him with me. More controlled, he lowered himself down over me, our booted feet tangling together as our hips met and our bare torsos pressed together. Jasper's skin had a light, golden tone and it felt smooth and scorching hot against my own. The rough, deep kisses continued as he ground down over me, the pressure making my cock weep and an ache build in my balls.

Fuck, it had been too goddamn long since I'd been with someone. With Jasper's fingers tugging at my hair and his mouth leaving wet kisses on my jaw, I could hardly think straight enough to remember who it was I had been with last. _A woman, _I thought hazily. _Victoria, maybe?_ That triggered a memory. Yep, crazy redhead; explosive in bed, but a little too clingy out of it. I'd ended things after a few times together. My cock had missed her, but the rest of me sure hadn't.

"What are you thinking about?" Jasper asked roughly, the vibrations of his voice against my throat making me buck my hips up into his.

"Trying to remember the last time I got laid," I said a little breathlessly, pressing a hand to the nice swell of his backside, forcing his hips down tighter against mine. I let out a groan at the increased pressure on my dick.

"And?" he prompted, his teeth grazing my Adam's apple. I swallowed convulsively.

"Too fucking long ago. In fact, if you're not careful, I'm going to come in my fucking pants." I groaned again and shifted against him. I was way too close to the edge.

Jasper immediately pulled back, his hands reaching for my belt buckle. "I'd rather you come in my mouth." He made quick work of it, and without removing the belt, unbuttoned the fly of my jeans. His thumbs hooked into the waistband of my boxers, and pushed downward, but everything got tangled up when he reached my ankles.

"Shit, wait." I sat up and he chuckled as he sat back. "Fucking boots," I grumbled as I hastily untied the laces and yanked one off my foot.

Jasper did the same with his own boots and I was amused to realize that our choice of footwear was keeping me from having Jasper's lips around my cock. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me and he looked over and grinned. It was the first true amusement I'd seen on his face yet tonight and we just laughed at the absurdity of the moment. The mood went from charged to something lighter, more relaxed. A sense of camaraderie suffused the air as we both finally got the boots off and we looked at each other again.

We reached for each other simultaneously and I found myself pressed to the cool, smooth leather of the couch, Jasper's body hovering over mine as his hand closed around my length. The low, rumbling groan that left my chest grew louder as he began to stroke. I loved pussy; the taste of it, the way it felt to be inside of it, but no woman gave a hand job quite like a man did. The larger hand, the firmer grip, the way he knew precisely where to focus the attention; they all combined to make a very pleasurable experience. And despite the lack of lube, Jasper's touch felt incredibly good.

"Thought you wanted me to come in your mouth," I said roughly.

Jasper smirked. "Oh, I do."

"Then you better get your fucking mouth on my cock, because I'm way too close," I growled.

Jasper's hand released me and I kicked off the clothes still bunched around my ankles as he slid down the couch and settled with his head between my thighs, propped up on one elbow. I widened my legs, drawing one knee up so my foot rested flat against the couch. He began with my balls, his fingers hot as he gently cupped and rolled them in his palm.

"Christ," I groaned, my eyes clenching tightly closed as I reveled in the feeling. Jasper's teeth grazed my inner thigh and I felt his hot breath ghost across my cock before he swallowed me down. He didn't deep-throat me, but it was damned close and the feel of my dick suddenly engulfed in the shockingly warm wetness sent a shudder through my body.

"Jesus fucking _Christ_," I gasped when he began to slide his mouth over me. He moved smoothly, easily; his mouth sucking, his tongue flicking and tapping, his hand on my balls, tugging and rolling them expertly. I slammed one hand down on the back of the couch, and buried the other in his soft hair.

My entire body was rigid with tension, strung so tight I felt like I'd splinter into a million little pieces; needing, wanting. I could hear the wet sounds of him sucking my cock, felt the way his tongue cradled it, the rough ridges along the roof of his mouth as the head of it slid in and out. My body burned for my release. I felt it everywhere: in my fingertips, in my toes, but nowhere more strongly than at the base of my dick. It was agonizing and perfect and when Jasper swallowed, increasing the suction, it roared through me. It incinerated me, burned away everything but the pleasure. Time seemed to slow. I could focus on nothing but the feel and sights and sounds of him drinking my come down.

There was a roaring in my head and my mouth was open, a hoarse, agonized sound reverberating in my throat. "Fucking _hell_." Time sped back up and I became aware that my hand was gripping Jasper's hair tightly. I loosened my hold, stroking the soft strands in gratitude as he lifted off me. His tongue made one last slow, sweet stroke up the shaft of my cock, curling over the head and letting me go with a press of his lips to the tip.

"Jesus, Jasper. That was the best fucking head I've ever gotten." My body was still trembling, every muscle loosening as the tension seeped out of me.

He sat back, a smug little smirk playing across his face. "And here I was thinking that you were supposed to be teaching me some new moves. Seems to me like it's reversed."

I sat up, bracing my arms on the couch. "I suggest we move this to the bedroom then, because it's about time I deliver on my promise."

We never made it to the bedroom. Locked together, hands roaming and lips meeting, we stumbled through the apartment. Jasper's hand gripped my bare ass and ground against me as we passed the kitchen, and I lurched over to the table, bending Jasper backwards over it as I ravaged his mouth with my own. His erection dragged across my rapidly hardening cock and I tore my mouth from his and stepped back. I stripped Jasper out of his jeans and boxers before pushing him down into a chair.

I knelt on the floor at his feet and nipped at his inner thighs, grazing them with my teeth, teasing him the way he'd teased me. Burying my nose against the crease of his leg, I inhaled the faint, manly scent of his skin mingling with the clean smell of soap. My mouth moved to his sac, placing soft, wet kisses across it. I heard Jasper moan lowly and glanced up to see his head fall back as I gripped his dick. I made a few slow, experimental strokes with my hand and his thighs tensed. We were close in size, although the head of his cock flared wider, and I shivered in anticipation at the thought of him pushing into me.

I sat up, stretching to reach his chest as I continued to stroke. I brushed a thumb over one nipple while my mouth descended on the other. His cock twitched in my hand and I felt his chest rumble with a groan as I continued. Jasper was panting and squirming in the chair by the time I switched sides. I was still on my knees, stretched out over him, and stroking him became awkward with the limited space between our bodies.

I lowered my head until it was level with his cock again. I opened my mouth and dropped down over him, taking him in as far as I could before drawing back to tease the head with my tongue. He was sprawled out in the chair, his hands gripping the edge of the seat. I could see the corded muscles of his thighs and the lean definition in his stomach as his body tensed. Jasper's hand threaded through my hair and I closed my eyes, moving up and down over him as he guided me. He wasn't rough, using just enough pressure to set the pace, and he moaned when I took him a little deeper. Loving the way he responded to me, I eagerly continued until he coaxed me to lift off him. I sat back, wiping my lips on the back of my hand.

"Bedroom?" I asked quizzically.

Jasper's eyes locked on mine and his expression made me shiver with anticipation. "No. Kitchen table. I wanna fuck you, _now_."

I got to my feet hurriedly and was hardly standing before he spun me around and bent me over the table, running a hand down over my spine. I moaned when I felt his cock graze my ass cheek.

"Where are the condoms and lube?" he asked roughly. "I can't wait any longer."

"Over there," I pointed across the kitchen to the drawer they were in. "Top drawer."

He strode over and yanked it open, fishing out condom and lube, before slamming the drawer closed with a solid thud. He swiped a towel from the counter and walked over to the table. "You're going to have to tell me why you keep them in here."

I grinned, and twisted my head to watch him as he took his place behind me. "It's a long story."

"After, then." Jasper ripped the condom wrapper open and deftly sheathed himself.

I heard the sound of the bottle opening and in a moment, I felt a cool, wet finger slide between my cheeks. I widened my stance and although we were both eager, he took a moment to slide it across my entrance, moving over it teasingly before applying gentle pressure. He pushed the finger in a little ways, giving my body a moment to acclimate before sinking in all the way. I moaned and dropped my head to where my hands were resting on the table, arching my back so he could prepare me more easily.

Jasper fucked me with one finger, moving methodically until I was squirming against him. He stood just to the side of me, but I could feel his cock brush my ass cheeks as I moved with him.

"Ready for two?" he asked roughly.

"Please, Jasper," I pleaded.

His finger left my body briefly, and then two pushed in, slick with fresh lube. I breathed into the stretch and in a few moments, he was sliding both fingers in and out. When I was ready, he repeated it with three, twisting his fingers in me on every in stroke.

The pressure was amazing and I felt sweat break out on my forehead.

"I'm good. I want your dick in me," I begged.

"Thank fucking God," Jasper muttered. His fingers slid out and I glanced over my shoulder at him. He quickly cleaned up with the towel and settled behind me, his hand warm on my hip as he aligned himself. He pushed in slowly, allowing my body time to accommodate, but the moment he could tell I was ready he began to move. His cock felt even better than I'd hoped and the fluid rhythm of his hips made me moan.

"Christ that's good," Jasper groaned. "Goddamn."

"I know," I panted. "Harder."

He pounded into me, and I heard the table screech as it slid across the tile. "So fuckin' tight," he moaned.

Resting my forehead against the table, I reached my arms wide, my hands gripping the edges on each side so he could get better leverage. It bit into my stomach, but I didn't care, too caught up in the way he was fucking me to worry about it. My cock throbbed as one particularly deep thrust grazed over my prostate. "Fuck," I cried out.

I heard Jasper fumbling with something before he hauled me upright, one arm wrapping around my chest, the other gripping my dick. His hand was slick with lube and I heard the bottle fall to the floor as he bent me over the table against, using the arm around my torso for leverage. He slid his hand over my cock, and the quick rhythm he set coupled with the deep fucking made my eyes roll back in my head.

"I'm gonna come soon," he ground out between clenched teeth. "Are you gonna come, Edward?"

My palm slammed down onto the table, scrabbling for the edge again as I pushed back against him. "I'm close."

With a harsh, rough cry, I came; feeling like my body was being turned inside out as I erupted all over the table. The pleasured burned through me again, white-hot and electric. My ass clenched down around Jasper's cock and he grunted, his face buried against my back, his breath hot against my skin. After a few erratic jerks of his hip against my ass, he stilled, panting.

"Holy fuck."

After a few long moments, he stood up and gently pulled out of me. I winced—it had been a while and we had gotten pretty rough at the end—but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. Jasper dropped onto the chair beside the table and I stayed bent over, arms braced on the table, panting.

After a moment, Jasper chuckled lazily. "You were right; you did show me a few new tricks."

"Oh, yeah?" I turned my head to look at him, my body still trembling a little.

"Never fucked anyone over a kitchen table before. And I can't think of the last time I came that hard."

I grinned and stood up, exhausted and exhilarated all at once. "Glad to hear it."

There were two bathrooms in the apartment, so clean up took no time at all, and I was spraying down the kitchen table with disinfectant when Jasper came out of the guest bath. We were both dressed again, and he jammed his hands in his pockets and leaned against the counter. "Want some help with that?"

"Nah, I'm good. Thanks though."

"Sure." He watched me clean for a moment, and the silence was surprisingly comfortable. It was interrupted by the growl of his stomach and I glanced over at him in surprise. He grinned sheepishly at me. "I didn't really eat much today."

"Hmm, I probably have stuff for sandwiches, you want to stay and eat?"

He thought for a moment and then nodded. "Sure. Sounds good."

"If you want to poke around in the fridge while I finish cleaning up, that's fine," I offered.

He sauntered over to the fridge and rummaged around in it for a moment before lifting his head to look at me. "Hmm, have any tomatoes?"

"Yep, there are a couple on the counter over there." I gestured toward them and he glanced at me.

"BLTs good?"

"Sounds fantastic."

I gave the table I final wipe-down and worked with Jasper to make the sandwiches. He cooked the bacon while I washed the lettuce and sliced bread and tomatoes.

"Toasted?" I asked him, holding up a piece of bread.

He gave me a look of surprise. "Of course."

I shrugged. "Just checking. People can be pretty particular about things like that."

He gave me a dimpled grin. "Fair enough. I'd throw a fit if it wasn't toasted."

When the sandwiches were finished, we sat at the table with our meal, a bag of barbecue chips I'd found in the cupboard, and some bottles of beer.

Jasper took a huge bite of his sandwich and chewed, moaning appreciatively at the taste. He washed it down with a sip of beer and spoke. "So, I really am dyin' to know. Why the condoms and lube in the kitchen drawer?"

I snorted and set down my food. "It was dumb, honestly. My ex and I were constantly going at it all over the apartment. She got fed up with me running to the bedroom every time, so I made some joke about stashing them in the "junk" drawer."

"Junk drawer." Jasper laughed heartily and shook his head, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. I snickered, and shook my head. Another glance at Jasper had both of us chuckling, and in no time we were both laughing loudly together.

I shook my head once our laughing fit ended. "I know. But the name kind of stuck. And that actually was a good spot for them." I shrugged. "The girl and I split up, but I kept stashing them there."

Jasper nodded, a smile still playing at his lips. "So I take it this isn't the first time you've used the kitchen table."

"No, although it's the first time I've ever been bent over it. Usually I'm the one doing the bending."

"I have to admit I'm curious," Jasper admitted, idly spinning his beer bottle. "Are you a switch or bi?"

"Both. I like to keep things fluid."

"Really?" Jasper said. "That's interesting. I don't meet many men who are."

"Yeah, I haven't met many who are either," I mused, licking a smear of mayonnaise off my thumb.

"I am, too, actually," he offered. "I just wasn't really feeling like bottoming tonight. It's all I did while I was with the guy I just broke up with. I've missed topping."

"Huh. Well, tonight was great," I said. "It had been a long while since I've been the one being thoroughly fucked."

Jasper gave me a slow grin. "Happy to oblige."

We sat around talking for another hour or so, digging into the stash of chocolate chip cookies my mother had dropped off a few days before. We discussed music for at least half of the time, eventually venturing into the topic of jobs. I owned a shop that sold musical instruments, and Jasper worked at an advertising agency. He didn't offer much besides that, keeping the topics away from very personal subjects, and I didn't push him. Our conversation was light-hearted, and we both laughed a lot. His blue-green eyes shone when he was enthusiastic about something, and he had a habit of pushing his hair behind his ear when he was talking.

When the last of the cookies had been devoured, Jasper stretched and stood up. "I should probably head out."

"Okay," I said. I stood as well and walked him to the door. He stopped and turned to face me.

"Tonight was exactly what I needed, thanks, Edward."

"You're welcome. I'll be playing at that bar again. I'm usually there the first Thursday of every month. Stop by if you'd like a repeat."

It had been a great night; the sex and the conversation were both fantastic. Jasper had just gotten out of a relationship, though, and I was in no hurry to get into one. Leaving things open-ended seemed like the best way to approach this.

He smiled at me, and seemed relieved. "I might do that."

We kissed goodbye, a long, full-body kiss that was equally a hello and a goodbye.

"See ya around, man," he said as he stepped through my door.

"See you around, Jasper."

Whistling, I closed the door behind him and went into the kitchen to put away the dishes. My time with Jasper tonight had been just right. I had a full belly and a sated cock, what more could a man need?

* * *

**Notes:** So, yeah … that's how Jasper and Edward met. I've had this idea in my head since I first wrote "Assumptions" and I'm glad I was finally able to write and post this. This gives you a brief glimpse of how these two began their very fluid relationship.

I know you'll probably ask if I have plans to delve more into the "Assumptions" universe. The answer is a qualified yes. I want to. But with 3 WIPs, I have to focus on those first. Once they wrap up, I do want to consider turning "Assumptions" into a full-length story, but that likely won't happen any time soon. I have been toying with the idea of a Jasper POV that would come between "First Impressions" and when the boys meet Bella in "Assumptions". I would probably do it as an outtake for a fundraiser, so keep your eyes open.


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